U.S. Customs Agent Faces Charges Following Assault Incident in Colorado
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent is currently facing assault and criminal mischief charges in Colorado state court after an investigation into an incident that occurred in Durango in October 2025. Video footage reveals the agent forcibly seizing a protester’s cell phone, discarding it, and then pushing the individual to the ground.
Charges Filed Against Officer Nicholas Rice
Sixth Judicial District Attorney Sean Murray announced that Officer Nicholas Rice was charged on Tuesday with third-degree assault and criminal mischief. Rice is scheduled to appear in La Plata County Court next month.
Background of the Incident
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) led the inquiry into the altercation, which transpired in the early morning hours of October 28 outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Durango. Numerous videos documented the events of the night, which involved a protest triggered by ICE’s arrest of Fernando Jaramillo Solano and his two children while they were en route to school the prior morning.
Mistaken Identity and Arrest of Jaramillo Solano
Subsequent to the arrest, federal immigration authorities revealed that they had erroneously identified Jaramillo Solano, a Colombian immigrant residing in Durango and seeking asylum, and had taken him into custody without a warrant. Jaramillo Solano and his children later requested to return to Colombia.
Contentious Protest and Police Response
Footage from the October 28 incident captured masked federal agents seizing the cellphone from protester Franci Stagi, hurling it across the street, and subsequently physically restraining her on the ground. After the altercation, the agents retreated to the premises of the ICE facility.
Clashes Between Protesters and Agents
Protests on October 27 and 28 resulted in confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents, with law enforcement utilizing pepper spray and rubber bullets. The CBI’s investigation into Stagi’s case was initiated at the request of Durango Police Chief Bryce Current.
DHS Responds to Charges Against Officer Rice
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the department is still compiling details related to the October incident but characterized the charges against Rice as “illegal” and politically motivated. The spokesperson added that federal employees performing their duties can only be investigated by federal agencies, asserting that states lack the authority to conduct such investigations.
Patterns of Allegations Against ICE Officers
These charges against Rice follow recent developments in Minnesota, where prosecutors have pressed assault charges against an ICE officer involved in an incident where he allegedly threatened individuals with a firearm. This case is among at least 17 investigations into claims of excessive force by ICE in Minnesota, tied to the aggressive immigration policies executed during the Trump administration.
Legislative Responses to Immigration Enforcement
In the wake of recent incidents, including the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Preti in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents, the Colorado Legislature has proposed a bill that would permit lawsuits against immigration officials for constitutional violations. The arrest of Jaramillo Solano and his children has drawn ire from Colorado Democratic leaders, including Governor Jared Polis, who condemned the actions of the Trump administration as akin to “kidnapping children and tearing families apart.”
Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies
As part of his second term, President Trump has pledged to execute what he calls “the largest deportation operation in our nation’s history,” aiming to expel all estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants, regardless of their immigration history, familial legal status, or any associated criminal records.
The article was updated on April 22, 2026, to include a statement from a DHS spokesperson.
